Phaethornis Cephalus (Mexican Hermit).

From A Monograph of the Trochilidae, or Family of Humming-Birds, 6 vols., large folio. Published in London, 1849–1887. Printed by Hullmandel and Walter from drawings by J. Gould, H. C. Richter, and William Hart, lithographed by the artists.

The Mexican Hermit is a distinctive hummingbird, characterized by its long decurved bill, rich brown upper plumage, and lighter underparts with a broad central stripe. In Gould’s hand-colored lithograph, the bird is portrayed among luxuriant tropical vegetation, its tail feathers spread slightly to display their rufous undertones. The print’s delicate use of shading and metallic pigment captures the bird’s subtle iridescence, typical of Gould’s meticulous attention to both scientific accuracy and aesthetic refinement.

John Gould’s Monograph of the Trochilidae remains one of the crowning achievements of nineteenth-century ornithological art. The project, spanning nearly forty years, brought together Gould’s vast field experience with the artistry of Henry Constantine Richter and William Hart. Through the combination of precise draftsmanship, fine lithography, and expert hand-coloring, the series elevated the depiction of hummingbirds to a level of beauty and realism unmatched in natural history illustration.